In general, the radiated RF power of a base station controls the maximum distance at which broadcast data can be received and utilized by a rover. For example, suppose a 35-Watt transmission broadcast from a base station has a maximum useful range of 20 miles. That would mean that any rover within a 20 mile radius from the base station would be able to receive and utilize the transmitted data. In contrast, if the base station were only transmitting at 5 Watts, the broadcast may only have a maximum useful range of 7.5 miles.
Thus, in many operational environments having a base station transmitting at a higher power level is better operationally and logistically. Moreover, having a base station transmitting at a higher power level would allow a user to save money by covering a larger area with fewer base stations.
However, one of the costs of transmitting at a high power level is heat: specifically, heat build-up occurring within the firmware/hardware of the base station. The heat build-up can deleteriously affect the base station operations and if left unchecked can render the base station inoperable. An alternate method for controlling the heat build-up in a base station is to reduce the transmitter's power level. However, as previously stated, reducing the transmission power level will significantly affect the range.